RON GARTLAN JAMES LINDER, M.D. KAREN LINDER RODRIGO LÓPEZ ROBERT G. LUEDER (1922-2013) PAUL SMITH
OMAHA WORLD-HERALD SPECIAL SECTION AUGUST 1, 2021
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ON GARTLAN
OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Omaha WOrld-herald
Omaha Business Hall of Fame will add six new members
ES LINDER, M.D.
AREN LINDER
T
he Greater Omaha Chamber will in-
ODRIGOduct LÓPEZ six people into the Omaha Busi-
ness Hall of Fame during a gala on Aug.
25 G. at the Holland Performing Arts Center, BERT LUEDER 1200 Douglas St. (1922-2013)
The Omaha Business Hall of Fame was initiated in 1993 in celebration of the PAUL SMITH Chamber’s centennial anniversary. The induction of this year’s class will bring to 172 the total number of honorees in the Omaha Business Hall of Fame. Six of these outstanding leaders are set to be inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame this year; a class that has shifted the dynamic in areas as varied as food service and finance, construction and real estate development, energy and entrepreneurship.
They are: Ron Gartlan, owner/president & CEO of Godfather’s Pizza Inc. James Linder, M.D., chief executive at Nebraska Medicine and professor of pathology and microbiology at University of Nebraska Medical Center Karen Linder, CEO of Linseed Capital and executive chairwoman of Tethon 3D Rodrigo López, chairman of AmeriSphere Companies Robert G. Lueder (1922 – 2013), past president of Lueder Construction Company Paul Smith, board of stakeholders of Tenaska Inc., president of Black Dog Management. The gala will feature an hors d’oeuvres
dinner and cocktails at 6 p.m., the induction ceremony at 7:30 p.m. and a dessert reception at 9 p.m. Single tickets, available at omahachamber.org/bhof, are $250 for members and $275 for nonmembers. The reservation deadline is Aug. 18. Proceeds from the Omaha Business Hall of Fame Gala support the permanent Omaha Business Hall of Fame exhibit at the Durham Museum and the annual Young Professionals Summit, a project of the Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals. The 2021 Omaha Business Hall of Fame Gala sponsors are Fraser Stryker PC LLO, KPMG LLP and U.S. Bank.
a special section produced by the Omaha World-Herald for the greater Omaha Chamber. Project editors: Courtney Brummer-Clark and Kiley Cruse, living@owh.com Designer: Matthew arroyo Contributing writer: dan McCann
Advertising coordinator: nick Cavallaro, 402-444-1202, ncavallaro@owh.com Photos provided by the greater Omaha Chamber
Paul Smith’s leadership in business is equaled by his dedication to the growth and success of the arts in Omaha. His contributions to our city’s cultural future are immeasurable. The staff and Board of Joslyn Art Museum congratulate Paul on his induction into the 2021 Business Hall of Fame.
2200 Dodge Street • Omaha, NE (402) 342-3300 • www.joslyn.org
OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
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Sunday, auguSt 1, 2021 |
“One of my personal mottos is ‘I refuse to lose,’ so I was determined, come hell or high water, one way or the other, that we were going to survive. … I think you’re more passionate if you believe in what you’re doing.”
Ron Gartlan Owner/President & CEO, Godfather’s Pizza Inc.
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onald “Ron” Gartlan launched his career during a tumultuous time. Four months into his first job — an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) — the U.S. Army drafted him to serve a 14-month tour in Vietnam. Upon his discharge in 1971, Gartlan resumed his career at Coopers & Lybrand, advancing to partner in 1981. A year later, he joined Godfather’s Pizza Inc. as treasurer and vice president of finance. After leading the management team in a leveraged buyout in 1988, Gartlan became chief operating officer. He rose to the tri-part role of owner, president and CEO after buying out his partner, Herman Cain. Born in Canada, Gartlan moved to Kansas as a child and Omaha as a teenager. He continues to be involved with his alma maters of Creighton Prep and Creighton University. Godfather’s Pizza has been a Boys Town corporate sponsor since 2004 when Gartlan agreed to print the Boys Town National Hotline phone number on Godfather’s Pizza boxes. Since then, Godfather’s Pizza has contributed over $2 million to Boys Town.
Ron gartlan participated in the 2002 Olympic torch Relay.
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OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
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Omaha WOrld-herald
Congratulations, Rodrigo, on your 2021 Omaha Business Hall of Fame induction!
Rodrigo López Chairman, AmeriSphere Companies Lamp Rynearson Board Member
LampRynearson.com
Leaving a
Legacy
Sales • Parts • Service • Leasing
402-895-5555 www.wickstt.com
Thank You Omaha
OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
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“Being successful in business requires a lot of hard work; it doesn’t happen overnight. But I think people should stop and enjoy the experiences along the way. Success isn’t the end goal; it’s more about living your life and enjoying the whole experience.”
“We’ve both been very fortunate to be born and live and work in Omaha. It’s just a magnificent community both on a business side, the professional side and what it does for all of the citizens. So, we’re very thankful for that.”
Karen Linder
James Linder, M.D.
CEO, Linseed Capital Executive Chairwoman, Tethon 3D
Chief Executive, Nebraska Medicine Professor of Pathology and Microbiology, UNMC
Karen Linder at the launch of her book, “the Women of Berkshire Hathaway.”
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r. James “Jim” Linder serves as CEO of Nebraska Medicine; Karen Linder as Executive Chairwoman of Tethon 3D, a company the husband and wife team co-founded in 2014. Not only are they leaders and entrepreneurs, the Nebraska natives are also champions for other visionaries. Awarded multiple times for supporting entrepreneurship in the Midwest, the Linders started Linseed Capital in 2008, investing in and mentoring dozens of early-stage companies, including Bulu Box, Flywheel, Nobl, SkyVu Entertainment and Travefy. Prior to supporting founders and founding companies of her own, Karen Linder graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University and began her career as a cytotechnologist at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She transitioned, from there, to the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she founded the state’s first School of Cytotechnology. That experience empowered her to start her own company, Heartland Pathology, which she sold in 2011. Today, Karen leads Tethon 3D, an Omaha
dr. Jim Linder giving remarks at a university of nebraska Medical Center commencement. manufacturing company that produces materials and hardware for ceramic 3D printing. Dr. Jim Linder earned his medical degree with distinction from UNMC, completed his residency training in pathology at Duke University Medical Center and joined the UNMC faculty in 1983. The holder of multiple patents, Jim’s research led him to the commercial sector as chief medical officer for Cytyc Corporation and co-founder of Constitution Medical. Prior to being named CEO of Nebraska Medicine in 2018, Jim served as interim dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, interim president of the University of Nebraska system and president of the University Technology Development. Both Jim and Karen serve and have served on multiple boards, including the boards of some of Linseed’s portfolio companies. Their philanthropic activities focus on entrepreneurship, the arts and education. The Linders founded the Linder Learning Center at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, which supports internet-based pathology education worldwide.
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OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Omaha WOrld-herald
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
Congratulations to the new inductees into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame. As Children’s launches a new era in pediatric health care with the opening of the Hubbard Center for Children, we are grateful for forward-thinking leaders who value the health and well-being of our community.
Care • Advocacy • Research • Education
ChildrensOmaha.org
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“(Leaders) are in an organization to support everybody else who works there. I frequently think about the description of a company as a triangle, but instead of the administration being at the top of the triangle, I prefer the concept of that triangle upside down and the administration is at the bottom supporting everybody else. That really makes institutions and companies successful.”
Rodrigo López Chairman, AmeriSphere Companies
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orn and raised in Cali, Colombia, Rodrigo López’s lifelong dedication to serving others was fostered throughout grade school by the Jesuits. He came to Superior, Nebraska, as an exchange student, and returned several summers to work on a farm and for a railroad maintenance crew while attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. López’s work in commercial real estate finance began at Woodmen Life. He later founded Ameri-
Sphere Financial, which, in partnership with McCarthy Group, became one of Fannie Mae’s 25 delegated lenders and a multifamily lender for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development FHA program. In 2015, NorthMarq acquired AmeriSphere Financial and its $5.5 billion multifamily rental housing loan portfolio. After retiring from NorthMarq as executive chairman, López and his wife, Mary, started AmeriSphere Companies in 2018. Their
first development project is Capitol Place, a mixed-use, commercial/multifamily rental housing project in downtown Omaha. In 2019, Rodrigo was appointed interim President and CEO of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center after years of service on its Board of Directors. He continues to serve on a number of boards, including those of the University of Nebraska Foundation and Omaha Performing Arts.
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OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Omaha WOrld-herald
Congratulations Rodrigo López 2021 Greater Omaha Chamber
Omaha Business Hall of Fame Inductee
Rodrigo’s inspiring leadership and devotion to our community have forever impacted the people and skyline of Omaha.
Holland Basham Architect is honored to be working with a truly remarkable leader in the Omaha community!
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“Bob was a man of great integrity. He really understood doing the right thing for the right reasons. He truly, truly cared for the people around him.” — Brad von Gillern, CEO, Lueder Construction Company
Robert G. Lueder (1922-2013) Past President, Lueder Construction Company
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obert G. “Bob” Lueder felt his greatest accomplishments were raising four children with his wife, Mary, and heading Lueder Construction Company for more than three decades. Born and raised in Omaha — a graduate of Benson High School — Lueder’s architectural engineering studies at Iowa State University were interrupted by World War II. He fought as an infantry platoon leader under Gen. George S. Patton and was seriously injured in the Battle of the Bulge, a sacrifice that earned him a Purple Heart, Silver Star and the Presidential Unit Citation. Lueder finished his studies at Iowa State after the war and joined Lueder Construction in 1940, a year after his father, Roy, acquired full ownership of the general contracting firm. Known for taking meticulous notes in his black notebook, Bob rose to company president in 1961 and grew Lueder Construction into a regional powerhouse before fully retiring in 1994. A 33rd degree Mason, Lueder’s active involvement in the community included service with Nebraska Methodist Hospital, the Greater Omaha Chamber, University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Omaha Community Playhouse.
s n o i t a l u t a r g n Co
to Business Hall of Fame Inductee Ron Gartlan
Congrats, Ron!
Joe and Bonnie and the entire Rochester Armored Car team wishes you continued success in all your endeavors! Rochester Armored Car salutes the current and past inductees of the Greater Omaha Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame.
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Omaha WOrld-herald
Extraordinary care starts with extraordinary leadership.
Co
! s n o i t a l u t a r ng Fam f o l l s Ha
e
nes i s u B ees t c u Ind
When it comes to meeting your banking needs, we mean business. checking • savings • credit cards • loans
cobaltcu.com | 402.292.8000 Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.
We’re proud to be led by James Linder, MD. From all of us at Nebraska Medicine, congratulations on this important recognition.
OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
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“Surround yourself with diverse, bright, hard-working, passionate people. Focus on creating real value and work hard. That probably won’t be enough unless you have a long-term focus and a little bit of luck. I think that is consistent with the way my life worked out.”
Paul Smith Board of Stakeholders, Tenaska Inc. President, Black Dog Management
Paul Smith, left, leads Black dog Management, an investment and real estate development firm focused on strengthening Omaha’s urban core.
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aul Smith leads Black Dog Management, an investment and real estate development firm focused on strengthening Omaha’s urban core. True to its mission, Black Dog is the lead investor in the Capitol District, a $205 million mixed-use redevelopment project in downtown Omaha, and Millwork Commons, a $300 million effort that is transforming a former industrial park into a collaborative community in north downtown. Prior to launching Black Dog Management, Smith worked in
the energy industry for more than 35 years, including 25 years with Tenaska and its affiliates. In addition to his role as the company’s vice-chairman, Smith served as co-founder, CEO and senior managing director of Tenaska Capital Management. Though retired from day-to-day operations, he is still an owner and continues to serve on Tenaska’s Board of Stakeholders. United Way of the Midlands honored Smith and his wife, Annette, as its 2018 Citizens of the Year for their work promoting the arts and supporting youth devel-
opment in Greater Omaha. Smith currently serves as chairman of the Joslyn Art Museum Board and is a past board chair of Film Streams, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, and Omaha Conservatory of Music, which he and Annette founded. Paul and Annette also co-founded Impact Circle-Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, and have been instrumental in fostering annual events, including Louder than a Bomb Youth Poetry Festival and the Great Plains Theatre Conference.
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Bob Lueder
VISIONARY OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE In 1884, Lueder was founded as the A.C. Busk construction company. Robert G. Lueder joined his father in the company in 1939. That’s when the name was changed to Lueder Construction and the new vision for the company took flight. Bob Lueder embraced Omaha’s plans to grow and he envisioned Lueder’s integral part in that growth. Since then, Lueder Construction has helped shape the skyline we see today, constructing some of our community’s most iconic buildings. Today, CEO R. Brad von Gillern and President Greg Key and a talented team of construction professionals carry on the Lueder vision and mission to POSITIVELY IMPACT LIVES through the work of the company. We are grateful to Bob Lueder for showing the way. Robert G. Lueder will be inducted posthumously into the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame which recognizes key drivers of Omaha’s economic growth.
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